Haddon’s Arrival + First Week

Haddon was born on November 26th at 3:16PM… four days after his due date. His “late” arrival took me by surprise, because my first two sons arrived on their due date. Of course, I should have known better, but instead I was surprised. And swollen, sore, and so ready to have this baby.

I had prayed he would come in the middle of the night, that my water would break (so the doctors had to admit me!); I prayed all sorts of things, but in the end, again, of course I know and should have known better, the Lord works out His perfect plan for us.

We enjoyed Thanksgiving with both sides of our family and we enjoyed a week at home with our big boys. It really was a sweet time, a time I wouldn’t trade for anything… except I was ready to have this baby!

<Finally> on Saturday morning, I woke to contractions that I knew were the real deal. Off to the hospital we went, and without going into too much detail ;), Tyler and I had our baby! We received loving care from the best nurse and a wonderful doctor.

It was so much fun to have Leland and Grafton come into the L+D room to see us, meet Haddon, and watch how they immediately fell in love with their baby brother.

Family had waited all day in the lounge, and it was special to have them meet and love on our third son.

We felt the particular blessing of God on our lives that day, in those precious hours and circumstance. He covered us and cared for us. He blessed us with another boy and now we have three little men.

How’s that for a party pony!? – Hi, baby Haddon! It truly is a party now that you are here!The boys get to meet the little boy and see the nurses take care of him.bright-eyed from the very beginningmy loveYay! We get to take this baby and this party home!I went home less sore but still swollen. The first few days I was hopped up on as much pain medicine as possible and could barely walk. But I was happy. Happy to be home with Haddon, this side of the womb. Happy to celebrate life with my four men. Happy to have Christmas decorations around the home, thanks to Tyler, Leland, and Grafton. They are quite the team!

our three little menAll five + decorated for Christmas After about a week – I am learning, just give it a week… or so… – I could walk! and move and be “normal.”

Something that started spontaneously with Leland, and then I planned for Grafton and Haddon is a “one week old birthday party.” We celebrate because precious life is here, because the good Lord got us through the first week, and we are alive to celebrate!

For Haddon, we had family Sunday lunch at our house – a “man soup” made by Tyler, complete with hearty bread and Coke Life 😉 , then finished the meal with my mom’s delicious chocolate pie, Nana’s beautiful cream cheese spice cake, and my grandmother’s home made Russian tea.

This super-fun dessert napkin communicates my emotions exactly – YAY!Tyler hung the banners that my sisters, Noelle + Christianne, used to decorate our house for Haddon’s baby shower; perfect, huh?!My sisters also used these succulents as the centerpiece at the shower, so of course, we had to use them for the party!‘ a party without a cake is just a meeting’ and we were not trying to have a meeting, so we had cake!hooray for haddon!